Sandy man caught out in housing fraud

News from the courts. ANL-180730-164550001

Published:10:53Friday 17 August 2018

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A man has been prosecuted for falsifying details on his housing application.

Dean Wren, 42 of Abbey Grove, Sandy, gave false documents as part of his application, but when a Fraud Officer saw the documents and interviewed Mr Wren, he admitted that he had knowingly falsified the information.

Following Mr Wren’s application in June 2017 and the council’s investigation, Mr Wren was prosecuted and pleaded guilty to one offence of Fraud by False Representation at Luton Magistrates’ Court on 14 August 2018.

The court sentenced him to a conditional discharge for two years and ordered him to pay a costs contribution of £500 and a victim surcharge of £20. If he commits another offence within two years this sentence will be reopened.

Mr Wren now has a criminal offence against his name and will be excluded from the Housing Register for two years.

Councillor Richard Wenham, Executive Member for Corporate Resources and Deputy Leader for the council said: “Council housing is an incredibly valuable resource and there for people who need it.

“Most people apply fairly and honestly but when people commit fraud to try and get a home, they put other’s people’s chances in jeopardy by affecting the waiting lists.